Vocalist Halie Loren Releases "They Oughta Write a Song"

Jazz could be described as being the voice of old souls" those who have already experienced life to its fullest and lived to sing about it. If that's the case, then Halie Loren, though young in years, must have already experienced many lives. From the first notes of the title song on her new jazz album, They Oughta Write a Song, Loren's voice leads the listener with lush, jazzy warmth to places both intimately alluring yet playfully enticing as she moves effortlessly in, out, and around the melodies with flawless, exquisite ease.

The CD includes many of the standards that have held steadfast across the years, along with Halie's originals that fit nicely into a mold that could easily join the list of ageless songs. As an extra bonus, Loren, in collaboration with fellow musician Matt Treder (pianist), added three very different non-jazz selections that have been tastefully jazzified" into creative arrangements that fit seamlessly into the project and fill out the breadth of the album.

They Oughta Write a Song takes musical gems both old and new and meshes a stunning voice with stellar musicians to create a timeless classic that spans generations and genres. With this album, the golden era of music is reborn and re-crafted for a new millennium of music fans young and old.

Along with marvelously talented Matt Treder on piano/keys, Loren is joined by equally marvelous musicians Mark Mo" Schneider on bass, Brian West on percussion, and Tim McLaughlin on trumpet.

About Halie Loren

Halie Loren is a singer/songwriter who is already carving out a distinctive musical niche with her own jazz-infused breed of intelligent vocal and musical interpretations that can cover everything from piano-based pop/rock to jazz in its purest form. Loren fuses the warmth and substance of singers from jazz's heyday with the wit and modern sensibility of today's female singer/songwriter.

Growing up in Alaska and outside much of the influence of then-popular culture, Loren cut her musical teeth on the songs and stylings of Etta James, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Patsy Cline. It was only once she moved to the ‘lower 48' at age 13 that she discovered the majority of modern artists' music, and became inspired by singer/songwriters and bands like Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, The Cranberries and many others. This marked the beginning of her journey to finding a musical identity, which culminated in a style inspired by both old and new, and yet uniquely her own.

A songwriter who writes with a passion, Loren's songs have garnered multiple songwriting awards in multiple music genres from well-respected sources including the Billboard International Song Contest and John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Her multi-layered lyrics and intuitive melodies have been catching the ears of fellow songwriters, musicians, and music fans since her early teen years, and brought her an Independent Songwriter of the Year award before she'd even graduated from high school.

Based in the Northwest, Halie has performed from coast to coast on stages, headlined full bands in front of thousands, spiced up trios in intimate club settings, and performed solo at showcases in New York, Nashville, and Seattle. She's shared shows with Grammy-winning performers and collaborated with many well-known and respected writers and numerous other music industry veterans, all while going through her teenage years, finishing college, and searching and finding her true musical voice. She has released three albums to-date, including a solo project of her original material ("Full Circle", 2006), a holiday release ("Many Times, Many Ways: a holiday collection", December, 2008) and a jazz album including standards and originals (They Oughta Write a Song, December 2008).

Today, Loren manages a full-time music career filled with performing, writing and recording, as well as collaborating on various projects with other music professionals around the country. She is currently in the process of recording another CD of original music to be released in summer, 2009.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT 'THEY OUGHTA WRITE A SONG' CD/PERFORMANCES:

Halie Loren sounds as if she were born to sing jazz...They Oughta Write A Song hits all the right notes from start to finish... and deserves to take a place among the great vocal jazz albums... Loren's silky alto slides through the songs here like a hot knife through butter…smooth and full of a sensual grace that recalls Eartha Kitt at the top of her game. . I keep wanting to point out particular songs as highlights, but the difficulty is that everything here is just so good that the word highlight becomes meaningless. That being said, Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps is amazing. There is a mischievous quality to this performance that allows Loren to reach even higher and touch perfection for two minutes and twenty-one seconds." (Wildy Haskell – Read the rest of the CD review at www.wildysworld.blogspot.com)

Knowing that Halie Loren is a young artist, already a masterful vocalist, interpreter and song-writer, you can't help but grin anticipating what sublime music she'll record next." (David Gizara, Host of Thursday Night Jazz, KLCC-Eugene)

Singer-songwriter Halie Loren is a stellar new talent whose exquisite vocals touch the emotions and awaken the soul. My listeners love her playful, sultry, jazzy arrangements. I play her regularly on my show." (DrB of Mana'o Radio, Maui, Hawaii.}

This (They Oughta Write a Song) is one of the most exciting new songs I have heard. It has a classic standard sound, yet it is fresh, contemporary. And Halie Loren's singing is just perfect for it. I can't get it out of my mind. It's a winner, as is the entire recording." (Fred Crafts, Former Fine Arts Editor for LA Times and Entertainment Correspondent for KWVA Channel 13 & The Register-Guard, Eugene, OR.)

On They Oughta, (Halie Loren) covers the difficult terrain previously claimed by vocal heavyweights …But the project has some surprising song selections, too…Three original tunes blend in with the classics to remind listeners of Loren's songwriting chops. With her bell-clear voice, careful but natural diction and a subtle sexiness in her delivery, she offers a new take on Procol Harem's ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale'."

I grew up listening to my father's jazz records and listening to the radio. My dad was a musician for many years as a vocalist, bassist and drummer. His two uncles played in the Symphony of Reggio Calabria back in Italy

I grew up listening to my father's jazz records and listening to the radio. My dad was a musician for many years as a vocalist, bassist and drummer. His two uncles played in the Symphony of Reggio Calabria back in Italy. So music and jazz specifically have been a part of me since I was born. I love and perform in all styles of music from around the world. Improvisation in jazz is what drew me in, and still does as well as other genres that feature improvisation. A group of great musicians expressing themselves as one is the hallmark of great jazz and in fact all great music.